The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has successfully resolved the ongoing labour dispute at the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, located in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
In response to the shutdown of the institution since July 11, the minister convened a mediation meeting on September 29 with all parties involved in the conflict.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, following thorough discussions with representatives of the workers and the management, Alausa set October 6 as the official date for resumption.
The meeting in Abuja was attended by the Chairmen and Secretaries of the polytechnic’s three unions, along with the Rector and the Chairman of the Governing Council.
The unions are the Non-Academic Staff Union, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics in the polytechnic.
NAN also gathered that the minister directed the governing council to set up a fresh panel to investigate sundry allegations levelled against the Rector by the unions.
The panel was mandated to report its findings in three weeks.
NAN reports that the meeting followed a joint petition to the minister over the suspension of a governing council meeting to resolve the labour dispute on the grounds of insecurity.
The workers had in the petition submitted that the claim of insecurity was a ploy to avert a pending probe of allegations against the Rector, as there was no security threat in Bayelsa to warrant suspension when the council members were already in town for the meeting.
The unions had said that only the suspension, pending investigation of the Rector, Dr Agbabiaka Lukman, will guarantee industrial harmony to the institution.
The workers had kept the institution under lock for alleged violation of the Polytechnic Act by the Rector, who took the three unions to court over labour disputes, whereas the governing council was statutorily mandated under the Act to handle labour-related matters.
When contacted for an update on the face-off, Mr Nimizuo Pereseigha, Public Relations Officer of the tertiary institution, declined comment.